Differentiated instruction is the key to appropriately serving all students, and it’s essential to explain the ways that will manifest itself in the classroom. We need share with parents and students that this class will be different in the way that students work. This sets the expectation from the beginning,
Want to try something really daunting? Raise a bunch of kids who are smarter than you are. Been there… Is your child’s magical power an atypical mind? This is great, but it comes with its own set of issues and fears. We don’t have every answer to the question, “How
I’m a big believer in positive deviancy. This is the idea that you can be different from others in a positive way, as described by Atul Gawande in his book Better. Recently, I was facilitating some training and the teachers had “homework” to incorporate the ideas of positive deviancy in
Tech tools make learning {and lesson preparation} more fun, and often more interesting. Do you know these favorite tech tools of mine? 1. Classtools for QR Code Scavenger Hunts QR codes can be spectacularly fun in class, and Classtools has a particularly cool trick for teachers. Just type in a series
Buffer facilitates sharing. Its tagline – “A Smarter Way to Share” – reveals its mission. If you are (or want to be) a thought leader, have a multi-pronged social media presence, or just seek a pretty way to share information, Buffer can help with that. Recently, I read about Buffer and
Educators need specific resources and strategies for teaching gifted kids, and I could (and do) spend days and days on helping them find those resources an develop those strategies. (See my Speaking page for more on that). This post came about when I received an email from a reader who wrote
What parent isn’t looking for free, terrific summer activities for kids? And who better than the Mensa Foundation to come up with brain-tastic ideas? (In the interest of full disclosure, I work for the Mensa Foundation and created this. That’s okay, right?) If you’re looking for totally awesome things to
Oh, oh, oh. I loved Top Dog. I have used something from this book at least once a week since I’ve read it. I actually waited to write this review because I was worried I would be too ridiculous in my praise. So it’s been six months, and it’s still
We’ve long believed you’re either creative or you’re not, but that’s simply not true. Encouraging children’s creativity (which often means preventing the world from driving it out of them) is as crucial as their cognitive development. I wrote an article for the Mensa Bulletin on this, and you are welcome
Tiering and compacting as differentiation strategies are underused because they’re intimidating. They needn’t be! This is an introduction to them that I think may help teachers understand them and (most importantly) be willing to try them! The two mistakes teachers make that prevents them from effective tiering and compacting are:
PowerPoint Countdown Timer Slides are slidedecks that automatically count down, advancing without clicking. They’re great for teachers who want students to be able to track progress and manage their time. While there are PowerPoint timers available, this is different in that there is an editable text box that allows teachers
Sleep is a constant struggle for many adults and kids, and it’s a key issue with the gifted, whose minds tend to spin out of control exactly when they need sleep the most. I wrote this article for the Mensa Bulletin that explores how (and why) to get a good
